New Faces, New Rivalries
by Le Cadavre Coupable
Summary: After Team Satomi has won the championship, a new team is promoted from the IG2, in addition to White Snow. But for Liz, a new team may be the least of her worries. Liz x Takeshi.
1. New Faces

Liz Ricarro sat in the cockpit of her mech, its back scraping the hard pavement of the track. She was quickly losing speed, and also the race. But she wasn't angry

"Shit!" she screamed, with a smile on her face. She stomped on her foot pedals. Her mech did a backwards somersault, and came up on its feet again.

She turned her mech's wide, imposing shoulders to face her nearby opponent. He stood there, long arms out, blocking her progress. "I'll get you for that, you sneaky little bastard!" She leaned forward, her mech's fist cocked back to strike. She grinned wickedly. "We're just getting started!"

Earlier that day, the atmosphere was much more calm, with no screams, no track, and especially, no opponents. Liz opened her eyes to find herself in her own bed, fully dressed as usual. She sighed contentedly. She liked her workout clothes. They were comfortable, and allowed full range of motion. Plus, they showed off her impressive physique (although she pretended not to notice this fact).

She rolled over, about to go back to sleep, but jumped when she came face-to-face with someone in bed with her. Her half-awake mind wondered what she had done the night before, before realizing that her companion was none other than Luca, her cybernetic-brained feline teammate (not a member of her species, thankfully).

Her heartbeat slowed again, content that she had not done anything she would regret later. She reached up and scratched Luca's head.

"Quite a scare you gave me there, Luca." She giggled. "For a second there, I thought you were Takeshi. Then I'd really have some explaining to do."

Liz sat up, prompting Luca to walk to the foot of the bed. He sat there looking at her, puzzled at her remark.

Liz quickly held up her hands defensively. "Not like I'd ever think of doing something like that with Takeshi! Come on, Luca! What do you take me for?"

Luca tilted his head for a moment, before stretching and laying down again. Snore-like purring quickly followed.

Liz got up, careful not to disturb her sleeping comrade. "I swear, sometimes that cat is just too smart for its own good." She thought she glimpsed one of Luca's eyes open, but he was sound asleep when she looked at him fully. She walked to her personal computer and turned it on, and was rewarded with a new message.

Team meeting in the conference room, 9:30 sharp. -André 

Liz glanced at her clock. It read 9:57. She jumped up, grabbed her ID card and shoes, and bolted out the door.

She skidded out of her room, just finishing tying her shoes, when she ran headlong into Takeshi. They fell, leaving her pressed on top of him.

He looked up at her, surprised. "Liz? Where've you been? André was just about to walk out when he sent me to look for you."

She paused, not wanting to let slip that she had overslept. "Uh, I was in the gym, for a morning workout. Yeah, that's right."

"Okay." Takeshi squirmed uncomfortably. "Hey, Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you get off me now, please?"

She blushed a little, but was thankful that her dark complexion hid it. "Oh, sorry."

They stood up, and Takeshi brushed himself off. "Well, anyway, André is still waiting. Let's go before he quits the team, Okay?"

Liz smiled, still a little embarrassed. "Sure. Lead the way."

Liz spent the majority of the team meeting with her chin on her fist, frowning. She had managed to start the day frightened, anxious and embarrassed. And it didn't seem to be getting better. André was babbling on about something or other, and Liz was too engrossed in her own thoughts to pay any attention.

"And that is why we are going to lose horribly, and be shunned by the entire IG-1." Liz looked up at that last sentence by André.

She tilted her head at him quizzically, not unlike Luca had done earlier. "What do you mean, lose horribly? We've already won the championship. We've beaten every team in the league before, and we'll do it again." She crossed her arms. "Are you implying that we're losing our edge?"

André smiled. "Not at all. If you and Takeshi had been paying attention," Takeshi looked up now, and Liz saw that he had been playing a portable game system below his desk. "You would know that I'm talking about the one team we've never beaten. Team Firestorm has just been promoted into the Pro League. We've never even raced them before, let alone beaten them. And they've got an impressive record."

He turned to the room's giant projector screen, and pressed a button on his remote. Three mechs, all bright orange and white, popped up, frozen in place. One certain detail of their formation caught Liz's attention.

"Hey, André. Why is their midfielder in the back? It doesn't even look like they have a defender."

André's smile vanished. "If you had been listening, you would have heard me explain all this the first time. Amy," Liz's third teammate, who had been staring at the screen, looked at him eagerly. "Would you mind recapping my little presentation for your teammates?"

"Okay, André." She turned to Takeshi and Liz. "Firestorm has been sweeping the IG-2. In their debut season , they've only lost one race, to Team Black Egg. And we know how tough they were. They use a new style of racing. You were right in a way, Liz. They have a defender, but his mech isn't exactly your normal defender model." She nodded to André.

He pressed another button, and a blueprint of the third mech came up, with technical readouts pointing to various sections. Its thin form made it look unusually tall, especially with its exceptionally long arms and legs. Its arms ended not in clubs, which was common in the IGPX, but in long, jointed fingers, more like Liz's mech's. She had been right, it looked more like a big midfielder than a defender.

Amy continued. "This is the mech of Jeremy Vardeman, Team Firestorm's defender." A picture appeared next to the mech's head. It showed a young man's head, with dark brown hair and an amused expression on his face. His eyes had a fiery look in them, as if he was ready to blaze into motion at any moment.

Liz raised an eyebrow. "So what's so special about this guy? Sure, his mech's different, but so what? Is he any good?"

André spoke up again. "I'll take over now, Amy. Thanks." He walked in front of the screen and looked at the three pilots in front of him. "Now, what I'm about to show you will come very fast, but is very important. Watch closely."

He stepped back, and tapped another button.

The screen showed Vardeman's mech, closely followed by another, dark blue one. André paused the video for a moment. He pointed to the blue mech. "This is Team Velocity's midfielder, trying to pass."

He pressed play, and the blue mech approached the taller orange one. Orange turned to face blue, and in the blink of an eye, the blue mech was missing both arms, and was tumbling backwards down the track.

Vardeman's mech raised its massive fists, each holding a blue arm, and slammed them on the track, making an echoing boom. He then turned around and sped away, leaving the camera view.

Liz whistled

"Now let's see it a bit slower." André said, pointing the remote at the screen yet again.

This time, the blue mech inched towards the orange one, and they all saw Vardeman charge forward, grab the other mech by the shoulders, and head butt it in the chest, ripping off both arms.

André paused again as the blue mech slammed into the track. He turned to face his pilots. "That's it, ladies and gentleman. If there's one thing you should remember about him, he fights like a beast. No holds barred, no limits, just straight instinct and aggression." He straightened up. "That's not to say that he just goes crazy. He knows when to let go, and when to stay in control. Supposedly, he's pretty normal off the track."

Takeshi nodded at this. "I've heard that. A couple months ago, he caused an opposing mech to fall off the track, and Vardeman never left the pilot's side in the hospital. He felt bad for hurting him, I guess."

André smiled, a bit coldly. "You read my mind, Takeshi." He sat down in a chair at the back of the room. "Let's watch that little incident."

This time, Vardeman faced off against two other mechs, both sleek and yellow. "This is Firestorm's race against Team Meridian. That's their forward and midfielder."

This time, the two mechs separated, and tried to sneak past Vardeman on opposite sides of the track. It did them no good.

Vardeman's orange mech leaped to one side, throwing its shoulder into his opponent. Before it could hit the ground, Vardeman grabbed it by the ankles, swung around, and threw the mech across the track at its teammate. They collided, hurling the second mech off the side of the track.

André rewinded, and stopped when Vardeman was picking up Meridian's mech. He turned back to Takeshi.

"Takeshi, you especially should pay attention to this. Vardeman eats lighter mechs for breakfast. His own isn't nearly as heavy as most defenders, but he knows how to throw his weight around." He tapped the screen, indicating the airborne mech. "This mech weighed just under six tons, and he threw it hard enough to knock another of the same size off its feet and off the track. Don't get caught, whatever you do. Someone will get hurt, and its not going to be him."

Liz, who was by now getting frustrated, grumbled. "All we've seen is this guy beat up on forwards and midfielders. There's no way he'd stop a heavy hitter like me."

André sighed, as if dealing with a naive child, which, relatively, he was. "Liz, you're absolutely right. How could I have forgotten?" He pressed his remote.

A slideshow went past Liz's eyes. Dozens of broken, battered mechs, all defenders. Many were missing limbs, and all were dented and hammered into submission.

Liz whistled again.

"Because of his mech's long arms and legs, no one can get close enough to land a hit. He just staves them off and beats them from a distance. You saw how far and fast he can move. Just imagine blocking and countering that kind of speed. Defenders just aren't fast enough for it."

Takeshi whistled this time, and Liz frowned again.

André continued. "However, as I said, Firestorm _has_ lost. Given, it was Black Egg, but that doesn't change the fact that they have weaknesses. Black Egg's defense kept Vardeman off of them long enough to get ahead. Of course, one of their mechs was still taken out of the race."

It was Amy's turn to look confused. "How did that happen, André?"

"The rest of the team isn't too shabby, either. In fact, Firestorm's forward is also Vardeman's brother." He pressed a button, and a picture, similar to the first Vardeman's, popped up. This man looked a bit more gaunt, with dirty blond, close-cropped hair and a long face. He wasn't smiling. "This is Jeremy's brother, Blaine. He's more of a speed freak, if you know what I mean. He doesn't engage other mechs most of the time, and when he does, he only gives himself some space to take off. But Takeshi,"

"Yeah?"

"Don't let him get away. _His_ mech is made for speed. It can't take as much of a beating, but it's got a good hundred KPH on you for top speed."

Amy spoke once more. "What about their midfielder? How are they?"

Once again, André used his remote to call up another video. He pointed to the stubby, missile-like mech in the foreground. "This is Blaine." He pointed to a shadow in the background. "This is Black Egg's midfielder, trying to pass." He pressed play, and Blaine sped down the track, not seeming to notice his opponent. When the ominous black mech came within striking distance, Blaine leaned to one side, then brought his mech around in a cartwheel. The Black Egg mech backed off.

Blaine began to accelerate, but the black mech went at him again. This time, Blaine did a low spinning kick, forcing his opponent to jump into the air.

Then, out of nowhere, a third mech came on screen. It was painted in Firestorm's orange and white, and had sharp, bladed forearms. It sped up while the Black Egg mech was still airborne, coming right up behind it. It brought its arm back.

And speared the Black Egg mech straight through the stomach.

The Firestorm midfielder lowered its outstretched arm, shaking the now-twitching black mech off. It bounced back down the track, not moving.

André paused again. "That was Laura Milan, their midfielder. Vardeman may be their star, but the rest of the team is topnotch as well. They aren't spectacular by themselves, but they're a good mix. But Amy, you've got it lucky. Milan doesn't do much. She's very team-oriented, kind of shy, actually, and only assists others, like this." He nodded towards the screen. "Don't expect her to face off against you without backup. Which is only going to come from Vardeman. Jeremy, that is. Blaine is very independent, very proud. A bit of an ego problem, if you ask me." He rewinded and played the video again. "That move wasn't planned. Milan saw an opportunity, and took it. Jeremy was probably the only one to congratulate her about it."

Amy nodded. "That should leave me open to help out Liz."

Liz sat up, and glared at Amy. "What do you mean, help? I won't need help. I'll wipe the floor with him."

"That mentality is going to get you hurt, Liz." André said with a sigh. "The only way you can get him is to throw something unexpected at him, something he won't have time to counter. Which would require someone else, preferably Luca, with his enhanced reflexes. No offense, of course, Amy."

Amy smiled, not in the least bit insulted. "None taken. Luca would be much better at that kind of thing."

André stood up again, his head down in thought. He looked up, and regarded his team with what seemed like admiration. "Okay, guys. You're as ready as you can be for this race. You can take the rest of the day off. But remember, you were once rookies too. These guys have yet to prove themselves in the pro league, and they won't let anything get in the way of their dreams. Don't forget that."


	2. In the Flesh

An hour later, Liz was sitting in a bustling cafe, a half-eaten sandwich in front of her. At the moment, all of her attention was focused on a short blond woman across the street. She was walking down the street, whispering conspiratorially with a tall, rather dashing man. She snorted in contempt. Fantine had never been one for subtlety. Here she was, just a month after her breakup with Takeshi, parading around on Cunningham's arm.

In general, that whole fiasco had left Liz feeling very confused. She was sad for Takeshi losing Fantine, because she knew he loved her. But Liz had also been ecstatic, now that Takeshi was single again. Luca had been right that morning, with his uncanny intelligence. She now admitted to herself that she had feelings for Takeshi, but she had never told anyone. She suspected that not even Amy knew, however good friends she was with Luca.

Her appetite was gone. "I can't believe I trust that damn cat more than I trust myself." She sighed and leaned her chair back. "I'm pathetic."

She jumped, almost falling out of her chair, when someone whispered behind her. "Now why would you ever say that?"

Regaining her balance, she whirled on the culprit. It took only a moment to recognize the disheveled hair, the slight grin, and the spark in his eyes.

"Vardeman!"

He sat back, surprised. "Hey, no fair! How do you know who I am?"

Liz did likewise, and folded her arms across her chest. "And what are you doing sneaking up behind me?"

The surprise on his face was replaced by another grin. "I asked you first!"

Liz huffed, rebuffed. "It's perfectly normal to know your opponent before a race. I studied up on you, so I can beat you down on the track."

"And what makes you think that you can?"

Liz smiled now. "Uh-uh. I asked first."

He chuckled, realizing his defeat. "Okay, okay. I was in this charming little Bistro, enjoying a calming cup of coffee, when I noticed that who else but Liz Ricarro was sitting behind me. I decided to do a little 'reconnaissance' of my own. The tabloids are so impersonal, you know."

"So, tell me. What are the muckrakers saying about me today?"

He smiled knowingly, and crossed his arms like Liz. "Oh, nothing. Unless you count the whole story about you chasing away Fantine to have Takeshi for yourself."

This time, Liz's tan couldn't hide her blush. Vardeman laughed outright when he saw.

"My god, I've done it! The great Liz Ricarro, embarrassed! Who would've thought it possible?"

Liz was getting angry, but she was a bit proud of the 'Great Liz Ricarro' remark. "What do you mean, embarrassed? What would I be embarrassed about? It's all just made up, anyway."

He chuckled again. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much." This only made Liz blush darker.

Sighing, the humor of the moment passing, he continued "Oh, I'm sorry Liz. I just couldn't resist."

She cocked an eyebrow, still angry at him. "Liz? I barely know you. That's Miss Ricarro to you."

"Well excuse me, _Miss Ricarro_! I figured since we both know each other so well, I figured we were on a first-name basis."

Liz muttered something along the lines of "All lies, I tell ya."

A softer, more sympathetic tone made her look back up at Vardeman as he leaned forward. "But like I said, why would you ever call yourself pathetic? You're the defender for the IGPX champion team You've got more sponsors than you know what to do with, you're world famous, and you have more money than most people will make in a lifetime. How could you possibly be sad?"

She looked at her feet, depressed again. "You wouldn't understand."

He leaned back in his chair. "Ooh, I see. It's about Takeshi, isn't it?" Liz glared at him. "Yup, I thought so."

"And what makes you think you know me so well?" Liz said with suspicion.

"I don't. I was just trying to make conversation." He stood up to go, but stopped and smiled back at Liz. "Well, it's been fun, but I gotta go. My ride has arrived."

He walked out, leaving Liz looking after him. As he reached the street corner, an enthusiastic Laura Milan ran up beside him and slipped her hand into his. This only left Liz with an even longer list of things to wonder about as they disappeared into the crowd.

Unseen by Liz, Amy Stapleton stood a couple yards away, waiting at the corner of the street and listening intently. Luca, curled up in her arms, was doing a bad job pretending to be asleep. Amy knew he was awake, but his act just made her more suspicious of what she had overheard. Now that she thought about it, Liz had never denied having feelings for Takeshi. Vardeman may have had a point.

But rather than being pensive or embarrassed, Amy was simply amused. Liz had a crush on Takeshi! That _would_ explain a lot. She leaned down and whispered in Luca's ear.

"So Luca, how long have you known?" Luca pretended to yawn. "A while, huh? Well, I guess you're the one with the computer brain." Luca dropped all pretense and looked up at her, now fully awake.

"Come on, Luca! You can't fool me that easily." Amy said, looking down at him.

Luca meowed, peeved. He then proceeded to go to drift off for real, irked that his ruse was discovered so easily. He started to purr, already asleep.

Amy looked back at Liz, who was moping again, her head on the table. Amy giggled to herself. Liz's depression was easily cured, and it was time for the unassuming midfielder to do a little uncharacteristic prying.

The next day, Liz woke up just as slowly, but was alone this time. Glad not to be silently interrogated again, she had time to just lay back and think. She certainly had a lot to think about, after the events of the day before.

After deciding that her situation was completely hopeless, and that no amount of moping was going to help, she got up. A quick glance at her computer told her that there was no surprise team meeting she was late for. She smiled as she slipped on her shoes, and savored the silence as she left her room. She closed her eyes and sighed.

And for the second time in two days, she ran into Takeshi, quite literally.

Luckily, this time they stayed on their feet. But only by Liz wrapping her arms around Takeshi's neck, leaving their faces only an inch apart. Stunned, they stayed in this awkward position for a couple moments. This time it was Liz who broke the mood.

"Uh, Takeshi..."

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind giving me some space?"

"Liz, you're gonna have to let go of me first."

She untangled herself and backed up a step. Trying to cover her embarrassment, she started talking.

"So, what were you doing in this part of the building? Namely, right in front of my room."

"Waiting for you, of course." Takeshi answered, with a bit of a childish grin.

"What? Why would you be waiting for me?"

He backed up and leaned on the wall, putting his hands behind his head as he often did. "I was hoping we could get in some sparring this morning. I need someone else to practice with, and I figure you could give me some pointers. I mean, you practically saved my life that time at the restaurant with Fantine. I figure I have a couple things to learn from you."

This put Liz's mind into top gear. _Why is he asking me this? He's never wanted to spend time with me before._ She glanced back up at him, and he smiled back. _I wonder why he's suddenly being so nice._

Giving in to curiosity, she relented. "So, what made you come to your senses? About me being better than you, that is."

"Now wait, I never said that! I was only trying to be nice, you don't have to take it the wrong way."

"Okay, okay. I'll show you a thing or two, as long as you admit that I'm better than you."

"At what?"

"Piloting, of course. We both know that I could kick your ass on the track."

He turned his nose up at her. "Well maybe if we switched mechs it would be different. It's unfair for a forward to fight a defender. There's just too much of a size difference."

"Well, in that case, let's make a quick stop at the simulators. We could both try out Amy's mech, to make it fair." A devious thought popped into her mind. "Loser buys lunch today."

"It's a date." Takeshi said, holding out his hand. They shook on it. _More than you know,_ Liz thought to herself.

Amy was, once again, snooping. The night before, she had dropped Luca off in their room, and headed off towards the hangar. Takeshi would be there, and she wanted to start up her little scheme. It hadn't taken much to convince him to join a joint practice session. Amy only needed to tell him to wait for Liz the next day. After all, Amy's room was farther away, and Takeshi was always awake first.

But it had turned out much better than she'd expected. That little debacle in the hallway had been brilliant. Plus, Liz's suspicions had cut off Takeshi from saying it was Amy's idea. They had even agreed to go out to lunch! Everything was coming together nicely.


	3. A Little Friendly Competition

After a depressingly short training race with Takeshi, Liz was beat. The hatch of her simulator had only just opened when she saw Takeshi's grinning face pop up. She sagged back into her cockpit, and sighed. A fast adrenaline rush hadn't helped her speeding heart, but at least it was now because of the simulation, and not the closeness of Takeshi. Now, that was quickly changing.

Takeshi swung his legs around and sat on the front of Liz's white metal dashboard, revealing an agility Liz hadn't known he had. After watching her HUD for so long, his face jumped into sharp detail, being at the same distance. He was still sweating, his hair matted down on his forehead. His cheeks, normally pale, were flushed and lined with the contour of his helmet.

"So, I guess we can call that a draw. Congrats, Liz, you just did what no one short of Cunningham has ever done."

This made Liz sit up straighter. "What do you mean a draw? I knocked you out of the race!"

"Yeah, but you crashed yourself before finishing. It's not a win if you don't cross the finish line." He chuckled, and looked her up and down. "All though, I can't fault you for trying. You certainly seem to have worn yourself out."

Liz's clothes, now soaked with sweat, were sticking snugly to her athletic body. She was embarrassed at first. Takeshi _was_ taking a long time looking, though.

"You know, Liz, I never realized how much you work out. You must do a lot in your room, 'cause I don't see you that much in the gym." His eyes searched up her long legs. "I'll bet you could run a marathon in that shape."

"Yeah, I bet I could. You don't look to bad yourself, you know. All that judo must really work your arms." She held out her hand. "Here, let me take a look."

He gave her his arm, which she instantly scrutinized. She needed to take her eyes off of his face. That smile was making her blush.

Her fingers ran up his forearm, and she marveled at the firmness, the toned muscle just beneath his skin. His baggy jacket normally hid it, but Takeshi was built. Liz kept going up his arm, passing by his biceps, shoulder, and reaching up his neck to the back of his head. A dangerous thought fluttered into her mind. At first she resisted, but it returned, stronger than before. She gave in, and brought her head up to face Takeshi's, only inches away. She leaned forward.

She kissed him.

Almost as soon as their lips touched, Liz pulled back. She flushed deep red. "Takeshi, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking." she stammered.

Takeshi put a finger to her lips. "Neither was I." He gripped her waist. "And I'm still not." He pulled her back, and this time she did not retreat.


	4. More Than Friends

When Amy saw Liz and Takeshi leaving the compound, she didn't give it a second thought, other than wondering who won their race. When they didn't show up for lunch in the cafeteria, Amy wasn't surprised. No one but her and Mark ever ate in there, anyway. Everyone else went out. But she began to worry when they weren't there for their mech control tests. Or a meeting called by Ms. Satomi. Or dinner.

They finally wandered back in at about midnight. Amy followed them covertly, feeling very ninja-like as she ducked behind staircases and into empty rooms. They didn't notice her.

They stopped when they reached Liz's room. After trailing them for so long, Amy was thankful for the rest. Being sneaky was hard work.

Amy watched the two of them stand there, staring into each others eyes, and wondered what had happened that day. Her eyes widened when they leaned forward and kissed passionately, Takeshi pushing Liz up against the wall. Whatever it was, it had been much more than just lunch. Amy couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride at what she had accomplished. Of course, Liz and Takeshi could never know. But she smiled to herself, content in her mischievous deed.

They finally stepped back, and Liz opened her door. But after taking a step into her room, she turned back around to Takeshi. A surprised look crossed his face as Liz grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in with her. The door slammed, leaving Amy giggling to herself.

The next morning, Liz woke up peacefully once again. She was dressed differently. Not at all, in fact. She sighed, and looked over her shoulder.

Takeshi was fast asleep, his arm draped over Liz's hip. His rhythmic breaths pressed his chest against her back, and the air warmed the back of her neck as she turned back around.

"Definitely not Luca this time." she whispered to herself, and smiled.

Takeshi's slight snoring stopped as he woke up. "Hm?"

"Oh, nothing. Yesterday morning, I woke up with Luca, thinking of how this would never happen."

He propped himself up on one elbow. "Well then, anytime you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask. I'd be _very_ happy to help you out..." he ran a finger down her side, "...in _every_ way."

Liz giggled, and rolled over to face him. "Well, I _have_ been a bit tense lately. Think you could loosen me up?" She kissed him, and pulled him closer with a leg around his waist.

"No problem." he mumbled, his wandering hands already sending shivers down her spine.


	5. The Aftermath

The moment Liz and Takeshi entered the cafeteria for breakfast, every head in the room turned. That is to say, Mark glanced in their direction. Amy was still asleep, leaving him alone until then. He looked back down to his breakfast, a broad grin making it hard to eat his cereal. The other two served themselves from the buffet, lost in each others' eyes. They didn't even notice Mark until he walked up behind Takeshi and punched him on the shoulder.

"Way to go, slugger! I always knew you had it in you."

He walked away, leaving Takeshi confused for a moment, before catching Liz's eye again. He sighed contentedly, already forgetting what Mark had said.

Liz took Takeshi by the hand, and they sat down at a table in the corner. After a couple minutes of just sitting silently, staring at each other, Takeshi burst out laughing, and was quickly followed by Liz.

Liz found her voice first. "Takeshi? What's so funny?"

He was still chuckling, and wiped his eye before answering. "We better eat, or our food will get cold!" This brought a new round of laughter from Liz, but she started eating after the hilarity had passed.

Amy, now awake, walked in. Luca was in one of her arms, meowing hungrily. Amy jumped, and started to hide when she saw the two lovers in the corner, before realizing that it was finally okay if they saw her.

Luca quieted when he saw them as well. He let out a hiccup, sounding almost like a derisive snort, and looked up at Amy. She looked down, and giggled at the look of betrayal on his face.

"What? I have some secrets too, Luca!" His eyes widened momentarily, and he meowed again before stuffing his face in Amy's arm.

"Oh come on, Luca. You shouldn't give if you can't receive. It's not my fault I can keep a secret better than you." He glared up at her. "I guess it's a human thing."

Amy was quite pleased with herself, and whistled a happy tune while she walked down the street a couple of minutes later. Luca needed more cat food, and Takeshi and Liz had left the Satomi building not long after breakfast. She knew where they had gone, and it was on her way to the pet store, so she decided to do just a bit more spying.

And there they were, in the very romantic park just blocks away from everywhere worth going. As it happened, it was where Takeshi had first met Fantine. Now, Takeshi had returned for a rendezvous with a _very_ different person. The two of them were sitting apart from everyone else, snuggling on a bench under a large cherry tree.

As Amy watched, a crowd of young girls swarmed around the pink-leafed tree and surrounded Takeshi and Liz. In a matter of seconds, Liz was pushed out of the crowd, and the girls tightened around Takeshi. Screams and declarations of undying love could be faintly heard as Liz fumed, outside the circle of fans. She put her hands on her hips, and elbowed her way in, none too gently. The girls just glared at her.

Amy barely caught a little of what Liz said as she dragged Takeshi away. It was something like "Back off, you little bloodsuckers, he's mine now!"

The fans drifted away, seeing that Liz was not going to share Takeshi. Liz pulled Takeshi around a tree, and they were gone from sight.

_Well!_ Amy thought to herself, _At least now Takeshi doesn't need a disguise to keep rabid fans away from him._ She snickered. _He's got his very own guard dog, as fierce as they come!_

Liz was puffing in anger by the time she got Takeshi out of sight of the pack of fans that had jumped them. Now that she and Takeshi were together, it seemed like everyone had something to say about it. Takeshi might have forgotten Mark's comment, but Liz hadn't missed it. Or the wink André had given him as they left the Satomi building. Or Takeshi's sister screaming to him, saying that she was glad he finally got some backbone. Had everyone known about her feelings for Takeshi?

Takeshi was finally allowed to have his arm back when Liz stopped by another bench. She checked the surrounding bushes for any young, female surprises, and sat down next to him. She was still steamed, he could tell.

"Could you believe that? The nerve of them! I should go back there and-"

Takeshi put up his hand to stop her. "Come on, Liz. They're just kids, they don't know what they're doing." He smirked. "What, are you jealous?"

"WHAT!" Liz shouted, then regained control (barely). "Don't act all high and mighty with me, Takeshi, you'd go crazy if that kind of thing happened to me."

"Give me a break. When was the last time you were rushed by a horde of screaming fans?" Seeing Liz's frown, he adopted a sarcastic tone. "I guess I'm just more popular than you."

"You've got to be kidding me! I've got just as many fans as you do, they're just not little girls. I'm constantly getting mobbed by eager young men, begging for my attention." Not far away, a group of boys about Takeshi's age were huddled together, whispering and occasionally nodding in Liz's direction. The whispering intensified when they saw her looking at them, and one started walking towards her, to the jeers of his friends.

Liz turned back to Takeshi triumphantly. "See, there you are. One of my many fans. He probably wants an autograph." As soon as the boy was within speaking distance, she struck a pose. "Sorry, no autographs, I'm not really in the mood." He continued. "Oh, well, if you insist." She took out a pen. "Now, what do you want me to sign? Five dollars for my name, ten to personalize."

But the boy kept walking, not even noticing Liz. She turned to follow him, and went rigid when she saw his target.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!"

Sitting on another bench, just a couple of meters away, sat Fantine and Cunningham. The boy walked up to Fantine, and smiled nervously.

"Uh, Miss Fantine? I'm a huge fan, and I was, um, wondering if I could get your autograph."

Fantine looked up at him through big sunglasses, faking surprise. "Oh! I guess my disguise can't fool such a devoted admirer." She flashed him a dazzlingly white smile. "But I'm sorry, autographs aren't really my thing. I'll tell you what, you can go and tell all your friends that I like a man with some backbone. You fit the bill quite nicely." He blushed, and ran back to his cluster of friends. They walked away, laughing, then staring in disbelief at their bold comrade.

Fantine followed him with her eyes, but stopped when she saw Liz. She elbowed Cunningham, but he just rubbed his side and slumped. Takeshi had perked up at the sound of Fantine's voice, and Liz thought she saw a cowlick spring up on top of his head.

Fantine stood up, and waved at Takeshi, who had turned to look. He waved back, before Liz punched him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Don't even think about it." she growled through clenched teeth. Liz heard a giggle, coming from directly behind her. She whirled.

Amy didn't have time to duck back into the bushes before Liz saw her. "Amy?"

Amy stepped forward, into full view of the assembled pilots. She blushed, and Cunningham turned around, finally interested.

"Hey, Liz. Takeshi. What a coincidence, huh?"

Takeshi, who didn't seem to be bothered by the awkward situation, smiled at her. "Oh, Amy, I forgot to thank you for setting up that training session. It's too bad you couldn't come, but we were just _fine_ without you." Liz's jaw hit the ground.

She stared at Amy suspiciously. "Wait, Amy told you to invite me to train with you?"

"Of course! She was supposed to come too, but I guess she had something else to do." Amy giggled again, but nervously this time. Cunningham guffawed.

He stifled his laughter when Liz glared at him. She walked over to Amy, and whispered in her ear.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Amy. I won't go into it now, but we're going to have to have a _long_ talk once we get back to the Satomi building." She backed up. "Come on, Takeshi. I'm getting hungry, and I'd rather have lunch somewhere more _private_."

She grabbed him by the arm again, and he was helpless as she pulled him out of the park and down the street.

Fantine started to walk away, but turned back to Cunningham. "Alex? Are you coming?" she said, almost as an afterthought.

"Yeah, yeah. Just a second."

Fantine walked past Amy, and whispered as she passed by. "Good job. She's just what he needed." She was gone before Amy could say anything.

Cunning ham followed a couple seconds later. He stopped in front of Amy. "Amy Stapleton, right? Pleased to meet you. It's amazing to have heard so much about you, and to finally see your skills in action firsthand. I hope we see each other again sometime." He shook her hand.

As he jogged away after Fantine, Amy felt something between her fingers. She held up her hand, and found a small fold of paper. She opened it, and read a phone number followed by Cunningham's name. _Is this what I think it is?_ She gaped in the direction he had run off in, and stuck up her chin in indignation. _The nerve of him!_

She threw out the paper in a trash can on her way out.

Jeremy Vardeman had taken Amy's usual role in this scene. He was sitting on the edge of a large fountain, enjoying the spectacle over Laura Milan's shoulder.

"What is it, Jeremy?" She turned around, and saw only an empty field.

He shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "Oh, nothing. I just can't wait until our race with Team Satomi. It's sure to be interesting."

"You're telling me! Our first race out of the IG-2, and we're already facing the pro league champions. We'll be lucky to not just choke under the pressure. I mean, they're _the_ Team Satomi!"

Jeremy gave a laugh of defiance. "Oh, I think they're just as human as you or me."

"Yeah, but they're anything but normal."

"I couldn't agree with you more."


	6. Hot Asphalt, and Hotter Tempers

On race day, Liz opened her eyes to the familiar sight of her own room's ceiling. She frowned. It was so nice to wake up with Takeshi. Of course, she could still remember her conversation with him the night before. She had said something about "having a reputation to keep".

_Oh well. At least I won't be distracted while I get ready._ She got up and walked to her dresser, but her computer beeped for her attention as she passed. She glanced at the clock next to her bed. "Christ, it's not even-" The clock read 11:21. The race started at noon.

"Shit!"

Jeremy Vardeman was waiting for her when she reached the Satomi hangar. Liz was surprised to see him at first, but then remembered that their hangars were right next to each other. It used to be empty, and she had just never bothered to look around. Actually, being race day, all the hangar doors were open but the main ones, so she could see right into Firestorm's staging area. Blaine Vardeman and Laura Milan were standing next to their mechs, Blaine typing on a handheld computer, Milan staring into space, apparently lost in thought.

Jeremy walked over to Liz as the door closed behind her, and smiled at the confused look on her face.

"I know it's kind of strange for opponents, but I just wanted to wish you good luck in the race, Liz."

They shook hands. "Sure, good luck to you too. I'll try not to beat you up too badly."

He put up his hands, just like he had in the cafe. _Was that really just three days ago? It feels like forever._ Liz thought.

"Hey, I just want a good race. But I'll be sure to warn Laura about that crazed midfielder of yours." He gave a mock shudder.

"Yeah, and make sure your brother keeps his hands off my man." She put up her fists and bounced left and right. "Or I'll have to bust some heads."

Vardeman's mouth tightened into an angry line. "Yeah, he has a problem with that." He snapped out of it when Liz raised an eyebrow. "Never mind. Well, I'll see you on the track."

"Take a good look at me now," she turned around, showing him her backside. "'Cause this is all you're gonna see for the next ten minutes."

He let out a quick laugh before becoming serious again. Suddenly, he cocked his head, as if hearing something, then turned and jogged back to Firestorm's hangar.

Liz looked over his shoulder, to see Blaine sneaking up behind Laura Milan. She didn't notice as he extended his arm, but jumped and whirled as he placed his hand on her butt, outlined by the tight-fitting jumpsuit.

She glared at him, grinning triumphantly, for a moment, before slapping him across the face.

The stinging red mark on his cheek spread across his features, as his gloating instantly turned to rage. He grabbed Laura's arm, and pulled her close. He was whispering at her threateningly when Jeremy reached the group, and put an arm between them. He spoke quickly to his brother, who just stuck up his chin at him and mumbled something back at him. Jeremy gripped Blaine's hand, still wrapped around Laura's arm, and insisted. Blaine smirked wickedly, and said something while pointing in Laura's direction with his chin. Jeremy pushed him away.

And Blaine hit him.

It wasn't a very hard punch, but it was enough. Jeremy tightened his grip on Blaine's wrist, causing him to let go of Laura, who backed up quickly. Jeremy advanced on Blaine, who had stepped back a ways and was now rubbing his wrist, glaring murderously. Blaine came forward, his arm coming around in another punch.

Jeremy caught his hand in mid-swing and twisted it down, forcing Blaine to his knees. His other fist was clenched in anger, and he brought it back.

At that moment, Laura Milan ran forward, wrapped her arms around Jeremy, and screamed.

"NO! Stop!" At the sound of her voice, Jeremy halted. He turned his head to face Laura, and whispered to her. She replied loudly. "He doesn't deserve it. If you act like him, you'll only prove him right."

Jeremy dropped his arm to his side, and released Blaine's hand. Blaine just stood there, staring daggers at his brother. He looked to Laura, and said something too soft to hear, at which Jeremy surged forward again. Laura stopped him.

At that very moment, a piercing alarm cut the relative silence of the hangars, announcing that the starting blocks were set up, and the race would begin. Blaine turned around, and climbed the ladder into his mech, muttering to himself. Jeremy was still breathing hard from his short-lived anger, but Laura calmed him down. They kissed, before climbing into their own respective mechs.

Liz didn't know what to think. She finally came to her senses when Takeshi yelled at her from his mech. She didn't hear what he said, but she ran to her mech anyway.

A quick glance told her that the Firestorm mechs were already stepping out onto the track, and Takeshi was starting up his own mechanical steed.

She finished the climb to her cockpit, and threw herself in, still deep in thought. Normally, Liz was calm and collected before a race (even though she got pretty hot during the actual thing). This time, though, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She hoped nothing would come of what she had just seen in Firestorm's hangar. _Of course nothing's going to happen. We're all civilized human beings, we have self-control._

_Don't we?_

As soon as the three yellow and blue mechs cleared their hangars, the crowd's cheers rose to a fever pitch. Benjamin Bright looked out over the stands from the press box, his trademark mustache curled over a broad smile. Sir Hamgra, owner of Team Velshtein, sat in his special section above the starting line, just in front of Benjamin's announcing booth.

Sir Hamgra turned around. "So, Benjamin, I hear today will make for a very entertaining race! The newest team in the IG-1, against Team Satomi, the original underdogs. A bit of a role reversal, don't you think?"

Benjamin just kept on smiling. "Quite right, my good man!" He cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered. "And I have also heard, from a very reliable source, that the two teams have gotten to know each other quite well in the past few days, and have been seen frequenting the same places."

"Very interesting indeed."


End file.
